We're lazy, we let team come to us instead I really don't have much energy left to run around field after 90+ minutes of jumping lol
That was the best game I've ever seen in person ... the atmosphere, the game, everything was the way soccer should be. It rivaled the MLS Cup '96 match ... at school, we had 20-25 packed into a freshman's college dorm room. Playing drums (read: anything we could beat on, but it worked for us) and blowing plastic horns ... watching our 23" TV or something small like that. I'll never forget running through the dorm after Eddie Pope finished that header in OT ...
Actually they were seated all the way up in the 300's section, to the left of us.. It's sad because a)it seems DCU throws all the opp's supporters in that corner so they are not seen and b)It was even sadder for the supporters because not one NE player aknowledge them. Reis was indeed clapping at us... He did it when the regular time was over and before the PK's... I know my fellow Nortenos hate all the goalies with a passion.. I'm a new Norteno and it's hard for me to hate them.... Specially when they show class like Reis did... I mean we gave it to him hard all night... Now that I think about it though, I think Reis is the only one that shows class... On the atmosphere at RFK though, this was by far the best night for myself and La Norte I think this year... From the very beginning to the very end... We were full of energy, chanting our asses off and for once other sections actually chanted and cheered.... When the whole stadium was shaking, that was surreal... f'n unbelievable... Best Night Ever... 21 thousand plus seemed more like 40 thousand... Dougg LN
One thing I noticed was that the Hispanic community was very, very well represented at the game. And, as nearly as I could tell, they were very pro-United. I was really pleased to see that.
Since this has been mentioned . . .this is a off-topic, but I've been wondering it for quite a while, and your positive comments about the Timbers brought it to mind. Why is Portland never at the top of the list of cities that have been considered for expansion? Before LA and SLC were decided upon, there were a long list of possible cities; Portland wasn't on it. Look at the list of Big Soccer Expansion subforums; in addition to LA and SLC, you see Houston, Cleveland, Philadelphia, etc. etc. No Portland. This despite the fact that Portland has a *great* atmosphere for soccer, and always has. The MNT loves playing matches in Portland because the fan support for national team matches there is so good. I remember a player quote from five or six years ago along the lines of "it doesn't matter who we play in Portland -- we get a big crowd and it's a true home game," things which most other venues in the U.S. can't universally say. Is there something I don't know about because I haven't been following it? Why no team in Portland? Not big enough? Don't believe the total crowd numbers will increase sufficiently over A-league levels? What up?
One of the smallest TV market in professional sports? Relatively small city compared to most (Cowlumbus excluded, of course)? No appreciable ethnic minority to cater to without signing Klose? MLS brass wants Seattle in the long run and doesn't want to enter the market in Portland first? Maybe Portland bigwigs would rather have minor league baseball? Who knows. I personally cannot get my mind around why a team is not there. I was at the 1997 US-Costa Rica match. That stadium was just CRYING to be a soccer venue. Back to the atmosphere at the match on Saturday. How about the super-duper huge drum making an appearance in the BB section? I love that drum, it's bigger than the guy playing it. Tim
Note the "BB" for Barra Brava. I don't recall the guy's name, but the drum is almost as tall as him. It's got wheels it's so big. Tim
From one Croatian to another!!!! YOu are a badasss soccer fan. Zivili DC United!!! You guys that kind of work can only come from a passionare fan for a banner like that. We Croatians are all about passion. That rocks!!
That's Salvador, a DCU/USMNT faithful even though he hasn't been around much the last couple of years. He's been to both home playoff games. He has a Darth Vader mask that he's worn a bit. At MLS Cup 99 you might see a picture of the diminutive Darth above the Barra crowd behind the goal -- I was steadying him and tanking some of his weight as he was sorta balancing on his drum in order to see. He's old-time Barra. GM
Jedva cekam da idem na Island-Hrvatska na otoku sljedeceg rujna. Valda bu nas bilo dosta, stadion bas ne prima puno
Actually the latino (mostly mexican) population around portland is quite large. school districts in washington county and marion county have huge percentages of latino students. certtainly larger than Seattle's. as someone who grew up watching the NASL timbers, i can remember when we used to be called "Soccer City USA".
See it MAKES SENSE to have a team here... That's why I'm wonder just what the hell are they thinking by putting a team in UTAH.... and I felt the same way about KC and Colorado... Dougg
Good point. I'm generalizing based on my visits to the city, not having ever lived there, nor having bothered to research it! I do know 'bout the soccer city moniker from back in the day. Per capita, maybe still a reasonable statement. Cheers, Tim
C'mon, LN- Dougg, you know the answer. If somebody from Portland stepped up and gave MLS $10,000,000 and had another $50,000,000 or so in reserve, Portland would be on the short list and they'd be working with local government about the appropriate venue. It's not rocket science, it's as Wilbon says, surely we understand supply and demand. [no, I didn't call you Shirley] GM
I do know a lot about Utah, having lived there a few years. The Salt Lake valley has a very large mexican immigrant population. It's also a huge and growing place. It has lots and lots of soccer players of all ethnicities. It also is a loyal sports market when tapped into. Not my idea of a great place to live or visit (unless in the mountains and wilderness). Now back to the atmosphere at the Stadium Saturday. I indeed heard a few unique chants from the quiet side starting up. First time in years for that since Salvatore stopped coming regularly. Anybody know if he made it to this one? Cheers, Tim
Barakude? I was singing some for Owen on Saturday, I think it gave him a headache viju se plave zastave i plavi salovi Bad Blue Boysi su najludi to ce uvijek ostati that's actually a really common melody for Euro groups. I can't remember original tho, it's pretty famous but I'm so used to our version (it's been around for 25 years) I can't remember original. I bet GM would know it tho hehe Not sure what attendance is for Timbers games, I just know they have a large support group that's not one dimensional (I guess attendance and large supporters base don't allways go hand in hand )
I lived in Oregon for a few years and I agree with you. I hope that, if the MLS really ever does get up to 18 teams as the Commish has indicated, there's a place for Portland and Rochester (and maybe for San Antonio) as well as for the larger market areas. I think, really, that Portland probably would go to the head of the line if some dude steps up with a big bank roll and lays the necessary money on the line.
In the old days (I can't believe I'm referring to 1997 as "the old days"), the problem with Portland was mainly the stadium situation. Back then it was an issue of stadium size, the quality of the facility, and, as mentioned by GM above, financing. My guess would be that those issues still exist - along with the Seattle gorilla a couple of hundred miles to the north. The atmosphere at that '97 USMNT WCQ in Portland was absolutely electric - an amazing display unseen at ANY other home WCQ in this country before or since. If it were strictly about the quality of the fanbase, Portland would have been the first franchise in the league. But it isn't strictly about that. Same goes for my old stomping grounds - Rochester, NY. Great sports fans alone don't ensure a team's health.